Below are eighteen commonly made (and lame) excuses you may have heard -- or made -- for not engaging in something new. See if any of these excuses sound familiar and review the suggested no-nonsense remedies to help you achieve your next great … [Read more...]

We all have a passion for something, whether it is for golf or little league; cooking or writing; acting or reading. Wine connoisseurs and bottle cap collectors abound.
What is your passion? Can you see it?
Most of you can.
What do you want to … [Read more...]

Summer is waning. Are you ready to lead?
The quick video below reminds viewers that Karl Bimshas Consulting is the wise alternative between big name (big fee) firms and sketchy coffee shop-surfing coaches.
We have the business acumen for … [Read more...]

Those who have read my work for a while know that insight frequently strikes me via the rule of threes. The first mention of something might prompt me to make a casual note. The second mention prompts familiarity and begins to breed curiosity. The … [Read more...]

Don't retreat. Don't let other people's patterns become your habit.
Whenever there is a tragedy that consumes our collective imaginations, we gasp and grieve. Some get pulled into news feeds and outlets, and overdose on images replayed endlessly … [Read more...]

Effective leadership coaching requires a commitment. Is it worth investing in outside resources for a direct report who is facing change or second-guessing their abilities? Here are five considerations for your decision-making matrix.
VALUE - Are … [Read more...]

Lead with Writing
Not all leaders are good writers, and not all writers are good leaders, but when good leaders and good writers meet great things happen.
Today we have announced the addition of Writing Services to our growing list of leadership … [Read more...]

Scroll through your social media feed, and it’s highly likely you’ll see a post that bashes Millennials and the generation of kids today. Usually, there’s a picture of a string of teenagers looking at their phones or taking selfies with dire warnings … [Read more...]

There are writers who have a particular style, and there are writers who can adapt their styles to different needs.
There are leaders who have a particular style, and there are leaders who can adapt their styles to different needs.
There's not a … [Read more...]

Don't tolerate wallowing in yourself or your team.
We wallow when we're feeling relaxed or lazy. Lazy doesn't pay well, action does.
We wallow in our victory and success, forgetting how short-lived they can be without vigilance and … [Read more...]

Well-meaning managers and leaders fail to find the time to recharge because you know you could be managing better.
It is not imposter syndrome. It is because you have left something unresolved and allowed it to fester over the weekend, if not over … [Read more...]

Two hundred and forty-one years ago John Adams suggested that all future Independence Day celebrations "ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations from one end of this … [Read more...]

I was honored to be interviewed by guest host Patrick Antrim, on Talent Culture's #WorkTrends Podcast recently. We discussed leadership and why I believe you should resist using generational labels. You can read a recap and listen to the show … [Read more...]

Leaders keep learning. It does not matter your industry, the makeup of those who follow you, nor your experience. Effective leaders stay curious and keep learning.
We know there's no shortage of other people telling you what you need to improve. A … [Read more...]

Being careful with your language can show sensitivity, compassion, and at least some tolerance in an increasingly intolerant country. As a writer, words matter, that is why I believe we should not sugarcoat what we face as a nation and as … [Read more...]

People make a lot of money off your lack of self-esteem or self-awareness. You’re not good looking enough, your car is too wimpy or guzzles too much fuel. Your teeth could be whiter, your family happier, your waist thinner, and if you want to trust … [Read more...]

There’s a strong chance that your leadership isn't working, and you may not even know it.
Leadership success increases by doubling down on your strengths, acknowledging your weaknesses, and adapting to the current reality.
Do you want to strive … [Read more...]

It is all the rage, particularly during graduation season, for well-meaning self-help gurus to encourage you to write a letter to your younger self. Invariably to find words of wisdom accumulated through years of experience which support the phrase, … [Read more...]

Ask a basketball player about the game, and they will talk about possessions of the ball, the clock, openings they created, and specific shots they took. Of course, winning is, important, but the great ones know they get there shot by … [Read more...]

You can't just be an introvert or an extrovert anymore. You could be an extroverted introvert or an introverted extrovert. You might even be an ambivert.
There are many terms floating around the heads of people who are trying to make sense of the … [Read more...]

I remember a time in college when I returned home to visit my mom, and she told me about a troubling sight she had just seen. A school bus had stopped at a light beside her, and the faces of sullen and despondent teenagers filled every visible … [Read more...]

Eight years ago this month I started my company. It is not a milestone year per se, but if you run your own business you know, every month you are still open is cause for celebration. During this period there have been highs and lows in my personal … [Read more...]

There are plenty of articles and opinions on how to become a better manager and leader, but nearly all of them are blind to the overwhelming evidence that 50-65% of managers don't give a crap. That may be a generous number. Take a look at Gallup and … [Read more...]

Do you think your customers are infatuated with you, or are you delusional?
Reminder, your client, is the person, or persons, who decide to do business with you and your organization. You have internal and external customers. Your external … [Read more...]

To be more productive in your life start organizing your major activities into four areas.
Prepare
Do the prep work. Invest time in the practice and learning required to meet your specific performance needs. Pick the formula and ratio that … [Read more...]

Lousy Leadership Hidden in Hubris
Leadership, like water, is not inherently good or bad, but it is essential. The desire for water changes depending on the conditions. Those parched in the desert are desperate for a sip of anything, while those … [Read more...]

Not long ago we didn’t give too much thought about where we got our information. Primarily it was filtered through our family and friends. There were other filters in place. Our schools had a set of standards, depending on where you lived. Our … [Read more...]

It is now the season when countless articles on how to plan your year pop up like premature Crocus. These systems will ask you to dig deep and often provide a daunting number of exercises designed to make you think, dream, pray, meditate or vision … [Read more...]

Your year was not great. The majority of the people you know didn't have a great year either.
How can that be?
Most people start the year filled with hope and optimism. Great attributes, but a poor substitute for persistence and pragmatism. … [Read more...]

When your task list becomes too long and neglected and reads like a list of forgotten dreams, or you are regularly swamped with new ideas, resist the urge to dabble. Dabbling in a few things will only dilute your focus and energy.
So, how do you … [Read more...]

Create a leadership agenda so you can manage better and lead well.
Your Leadership Agenda
Your attitude, your appearance, and your approach are the three building blocks of your leadership agenda.
Your leadership agenda is how you plan on … [Read more...]

Often we make snap judgments about leaders. Our instinct and gut are legitimate tools; unfortunately, they sometimes cloud objectivity.
By looking at five key attributes, we force ourselves to slow down long enough to explore nuance. When we pause … [Read more...]

Leaders and artists, particularly writers, share many traits. An excellent leader doesn’t get to be that way without a sense of creativity and artistry. Likewise, an artist shapes opinions, causes introspection and moves the spirit, if not the body. … [Read more...]

When you stop to think about an interaction with someone or a group of people, it is easy to reflect on three components.
You.
Them.
Your conversation with them.
Rudimentary, yet you probably don't think about it too much, except when … [Read more...]

Focus can be difficult. There are so many welcome and unwelcome distractions in our world.
If you don't know your vision, purpose, and values, the challenge is even greater.
Start defining them so your decision-making can get easier.
Next list an … [Read more...]

Some people are great at creating lists. They have impressive lists. Accomplishing tasks, a little less so.
Some people are decisive and action oriented. They get lots of things done fast, and then they redo a lot of things … [Read more...]

A good number of leadership problems I see come about because the leader has never given any thought to the question, “How are you going to lead?”
Many are dumbfounded. Though to be fair, if you ask a writer, “How are you going to write?” there … [Read more...]

When you are leading well, you constantly look for what can give you and your team an edge on results while supporting your mission, vision, and values.
You could search for someone who is successful in an area you want greater improvement in, and … [Read more...]

Now and then you need to take a look under the leadership hood and make sure things are running well.
Start by inspecting your biggest goal. Run a self-diagnosis of six systems:
Your Operating Principle - What you are trying to achieve? … [Read more...]

While I was growing up, I often heard the popular refrain, “Expect the best and plan for the worst.” I attributed it to the weather. In New England, you might plan a nice picnic, but if you were smart, you also prepared a contingency for rain, or … [Read more...]

Lousy leadership is scary because it is so prevalent in our lives, and no one is fully immune from it. New and established managers both make errors because of impatience, or fear, or poor judgment. These mistakes frequently most hurt the people … [Read more...]

I once worked with an organization where people started vanishing. Some of it was planned. A few moved on to bigger and better things. The vast majority, however, were being laid off, one at a time, so for a while, it was drip, drip, drip.
During … [Read more...]

Candidly, you won't see this properly demonstrated by people in the public eye too often. On the other hand, exceptional leaders know how, when, and why to apologize. Follow the six steps below to stand out as a better leader who shows respect and … [Read more...]

Call me biased, but I love October 1st. Yes, it's my birthday, and that adds to the festive spirit. It's my favorite season. I prefer the chill in the air, and the sight of the last gasps of color bursting from the leaves of trees. Alas, the current … [Read more...]

Whenever I hear an entrepreneur or executive describe how much their customers love them, I cringe. I am reminded of a recent research study that discovered, based on reciprocity, we have far few friends than we think we do. In fact, about half as … [Read more...]

Last week I had a delightful discussion with a colleague about our individual writing processes. As we talked between sips of coffee, it became clear that we had a mutual tendency to make things more complex than they have to be. I hastily narrowed … [Read more...]

If you want to manage better and lead well, you have to take deliberate action. One tool that is critical for effective managers is the management control book. Whether this resides on your computer or smartphone, is a physical binder you lug around, … [Read more...]

This weekend, as you wind down from one season and prepare for the next, invest a few moments in yourself and do the following alignment check-up.
Grab a piece of paper and fold it, so you have two columns with four rows each; that's eight boxes … [Read more...]

Ready to get a better handle on your week? Don't make a to-do list; you have already got plenty of those. Instead, grab your calendar and today, schedule ten activities that are important to you.
If you are having trouble, come up with two … [Read more...]

A case for your personal and professional development
The average person spends more time and money on activities that contribute to their personal detriment than to their personal development. Luckily, you are not average. You are a … [Read more...]

Do you remember the business environment in 2008? It was a big transition year, with a presidential election filled with uncertainty and the financial markets beginning to collapse. Layoffs started ramping up, and newly formed consultants flooded the … [Read more...]

As a culture, we need to provide better leadership development and accountability to bolster the essential skills and effectiveness of established and future leaders. Too many lousy leaders are being excused, hidden behind culture, tradition, ego, … [Read more...]

Part Three of a series
Effective leaders know it's not about them; it's about those they lead. This series is for busy professionals who want to find easier ways to improve their essential leadership skills.
Below are the final ten … [Read more...]

Part Two of a series
As an effective leader you are asking yourself that question on a regular basis. This series is for busy professionals who want to find easier ways to improve their essential leadership skills.
Below are ten more statements … [Read more...]

Modern leaders and managers live with uncertainty. The difference is, the uncertainty does not immobilize them, it emboldens them. The tools at their disposal are no different from those anyone else has access to. It is their brain and the deliberate … [Read more...]

For Father’s Day, I’m posting four essays that I’ve written over the years about leadership and ways my father and grandfathers have influenced me. It is an embarrassingly insignificantly small thank you to them, and a reminder to you, that in some … [Read more...]

Part One of a series
If you are a leader, I hope you are asking yourself that question on a regular basis. If not, I would question your judgment and suggest you might be more powerful and effective as an individual contributor.
This series is … [Read more...]

Five sadly common ways promising managers limit their potential.
Betraying Personal Trust
As a manager, you will find opportunities to create and strengthen the relationship with your direct reports or your peers. Sometimes this dynamic … [Read more...]

Regardless of your occupation, you should always be working on improving your skills. Choosing not to would be reckless and invite career derailment.
When you work for an organization, there's no shortage of feedback loops telling you what to … [Read more...]

It is graduation season, and whether you are finishing off college, high school, or reminiscing about when you did, those many years ago, it is a good time to think about where you want to go next. How are you going to spend your time … [Read more...]

While there are tons of internal and external resources to help you build your personal development plan, the only person who should be creating it is you. If not, you become subject to the whim and inherent biases of others. They may mean well, but … [Read more...]

If leadership is the ability to influence the behavior of others. Leadership skill could be defined behaviorally by a range of activities grouped loosely into the following categories:
Initiating and Maintaining action
Directing and … [Read more...]

Let’s pretend you’re in a strange city and are running late for an appointment. Suddenly you realize you’re lost, and the street signs don't make sense to you. You’ve got your cell phone with you, and your social media friends are only a few … [Read more...]

I believe busy professionals should have a personal compass to follow. It does not need to be something as grand as a manifesto, though I do think you should spend time creating one for yourself because it is important to document what you believe in … [Read more...]

I’ve been posting quick (under two minute) leadership questions, tips and thought starters on Anchor. If you’re on that platform, go ahead and follow me. If not, listen to a simple thought and challenge to help you lead … [Read more...]

I’m starting to post quick (under two minute) leadership questions, tips and thought starters on Anchor. If you’re there I hope you’ll dip your toes in. If not, listen below.
Are you getting too much thanks and appreciation for the things you do? … [Read more...]

Busy professionals are notorious for not making time to reflect on their activities.
“Too busy,” they say. Which is an ineffective excuse.
Periodically take stock of your current level of awareness to learn what you are doing, or could be … [Read more...]

Checkout this great Infographic by Quill, designed by Ghergich & Co. about attitudes at work. Which ones have you brought and how can you combat them?
Click to Enlarge Image
Infographic by Quill … [Read more...]

I'd like to introduce you to my latest book.
Leaders Don't Shrug; Advice for Busy Professionals is a collection of quick reminders, advice, and humor for busy professionals who want to be better leaders.
The big thoughts inside this small … [Read more...]

1. Know Yourself Better
Choose from several assessments like DISC, the most widely used behavior profiling tool of its kind, supported by decades of research and continuous validation. (Consider a 4-pack) or Leadership 31, from Karl Bimshas … [Read more...]

An extended excerpt from, "How to Stay When You Want to Quit; Strategies to get over yourself" by Karl Bimshas
Clicking keyboards keys, chirping phones, the monotone sound of uninspired hushed voices, and all the other maddening sounds of general … [Read more...]

Social media is awash in manager versus boss memes and ideal leadership infographics. Maybe they make you feel good for a little while because you use them as a checklist when you're not getting the recognition you deserve. You convince yourself that … [Read more...]

Most people say they want to achieve high performance. A smaller number will actually put in the effort to achieve that goal. When pressed, many cite they are too busy to do the things necessary to reach a higher standard. In practice, it has little … [Read more...]

There are four common triggers I regularly see playing out in the workplace. Yes, there are plenty of others, but these four are prevalent.
Ineffective Communication
Ego Protection
Fear of Uncertainty
Rewarding Off Purpose
You can … [Read more...]

As a leader, do you have a personal or professional learning plan, or do you think you're fine as is? For the near-term you might be okay, but without a regular discipline of learning, your effectiveness will be limited.
An implicit skill of … [Read more...]

When I was a sophomore at Emerson College, one of my courses had me direct a short video production. The College, with its strong, “learn by doing” approach, had two well-appointed studios with high-end cameras freshly donated from the local … [Read more...]

You want to improve your leadership, but you are not quite sure where to start. Consider your answers to these five questions.
Direction - Do you have and share a compelling vision?
Alignment - Do your behaviors match your … [Read more...]